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Potential Additional Costs in Buying Bank Foreclosed Homes

Bank foreclosed homes are often offered at almost half their original market value. The longer they have been in the market, the more chances a buyer will have of negotiating for a low purchase price. However, these homes also often come with repair needs that can reach up to tens of thousands of dollars.

Impact of Home Condition on Price

Buyers should not expect banks and bank agents to tell them the extent of repairs required by the house, so it is their responsibility to find out how far the dwelling has deteriorated and to identify the areas that need adjustments. The more they know about the extent of repairs needed, the better they will be able to negotiate for an appropriate price.

People who have skills in home repairs would have an advantage since they can work on fixes themselves and would not need to hire someone else to do the work. That would be additional savings for them.

What Could Bring Costs Up

There are certain areas of bank foreclosed homes that would cost more to repair than other aspects. One of the most expensive repair jobs is home foundation. If the foundation of a dwelling has deteriorated to a point that it needs to be totally replaced, then buyers should not bother. This means that practically the whole house would have to be torn down to shore up the foundations. No matter how cheap the purchase price is, the cost of replacing foundations would not be worth the money and the trouble.

Plumbing, electrical and sewer systems that need to be replaced can also eat into the budget. If these systems require total overhaul, buyers should look somewhere else. HVAC and central airing systems are also expensive projects that might cost as much as half of the total purchase of the house. Roofs that need to be totally stripped will also entail costs that can reach up to tens of thousands.

When viewing bank foreclosed homes, a buyer should have a professional house inspector at hand. They might think that they are getting a bargain, but there are things, particularly inside the house, that might require excessive expenses that buyers can hardly afford.